Campaigners plan fuel depot protest

Thursday 11 January 2007 00:12 BST

Fuel protesters are planning a new campaign of action targeting oil refineries and depots across the UK at the weekend.

A group called Transaction-2007, an alliance of farmers and hauliers, is spearheading a new wave of protests fuelled by rising petrol prices. Prices on the forecourt passed the £1 mark several weeks ago and appear to be heading higher.

Campaigners are planning a peaceful protest on Saturday to highlight the damage the high fuel prices are doing.

They warn that if the Government fails to get the message, they will be radically stepping up their efforts in the New Year.

A strategic blockade of oil refineries in 2000 brought the country to a standstill and forced the Government to cut tax on petrol.

David Hanley, chairman of protest group Farmers for Action, warned that similar scenes could be repeated without Government action. "We have been monitoring the fuel issue for some considerable time," he said.

"Some time ago we were approached by the haulage industry with regard to meeting to discuss what to do. As a result, we have decided to do something to highlight the rising tax on fuel. It will be an entirely peaceful protest."

He added: "We really don't know what else to do. We have been making noises to the Government for the last eight months but nobody is listening.

"Something has to be done to try and ease the situation, otherwise essential users will have to put up their prices. If that happens, food prices will go up and everyone will suffer."

He said the Government has had massive extra tax revenue as a result of the oil price and the tax on petrol. "We feel it has the money to be able to do something."